Attachment-plug adapter



March 27, 1928. 1,664,090

H. R. SARGENT lATTACHMENT PLUG ADAPTER Filed Feb. 27. 1923 Patented Maro 27, 1928a f i renna UNITEDSrA-TESE Partnr ersics.

HOWARD n. SARGENT, or;BRIDGEEQRT,CONNECTICUT, AssrGNoR To GENERAL ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, A CORPORATION or new YORK.

,ATTACHMENT-PLUG ADAPTER.

Application led February 27, 1923.- Serial No. 621,647.

The fpresent inventionrelates to `thedistribution of electric `current in houses, and more especially to .connecting or attachment devices whereby a vbranch circuit, asthat of an electric flat iron, may .be connected to and disconnected from the main house circuit.

These connecting or attachment. devices ordinarily comprise a stationary -member permanently secured to the wall of .a room or set in a'recess therein and provided with terminal contacts connected to the house circuit wires, and a detachable or cap member carried by the ends ot the branch circuit wires and having contact fingers or blades adapted to frictionally and electrically engage the terminal contacts of the stationary member.

On account of the difference vin types of stationary or receptacle members installed, much inconvenience has been experienced by purchasers of portable electrical devices for the reason that the cap member at the ends ofV its branch wires were usually found not to iit the particular receptacles installed in the purchasers residence, and before the purchased device could be enjoyed it was necessary to get an electrician to replace either the receptacle member or the cap member by one ot the matching type.

At the present time practically all portable domestic electrical devices are sold equipped with detachable cap members having either parallel flat blades or tandem flat blades7 and the standard receptacle members are constructed so as to properly cooperate with both types of cap members. 1t is well known that the majority of houses erected, prior to the time the connecting devices were standardized, have installed therein plug receptacle members of the Chapman type consisting of an insulating wall box adapted to receive a rather massive plug member therein and a flush plate with two trap doors adapted to shut in the plug except a contracted neck portion thereof through which the flexible wires are led.

The object of my invention is to provide an intermediate part or plug adapter whereby it will be practicable to connect a standard connector cap with a non-standard receptacle.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is an exploded view of the intermediate part and a wall receptacle withwhich it is adapted to cooperate; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the receptacle iiushplate and intermediate part assembled; Fig. 3 is apart ele- Yvation and part section of the Lintermediate part; and Fig. 4 is'a perspective View Showing-an ordinary Chapman -face plate-with one of the trap doors partially open.

The wall box 1 is usually made of porcelain with a relatively large oblong chamber, at the opposite ends of which are mounted reversely bent Contact springs 2 and biliding posts 3, ,and over the front of the box a flush plate 4 is secured by screws 5 engaging ears 6 on the box. The, flush plate has a rectangular opening at its center corresponding to the size of the chamber, and hinged to opposite end edges of the opening are trap doors 7 having arcuate notches 8 in their free edges whereby they are enabledV to close about the neck of the old :torm of plug when in operative position within the box. The base of the adapter is composed of two moulded insulation portions 9 and 10. The plug portion 9 is shaped externally substantially like the ordinary Chapman plug and has on its opposite edges contact plates 11 to engage with contact springs 2 and these plates are connected by screws 12, extending up through the neck 13, to l..- shaped brackets 14 at the end thereof. Each ot' the brackets 14 has rigidly connected thereto a rdouble contact clip 15 of phosphor' bronze and consisting of three arms bent upwardly so that standard detachable caps with either parallel or tandem fingers may enter between them and make good contact therewith. The insulation portion 10 Yis in the form of a cylindrical block with two longitudinal cavities 16 for the reception of the contact clips 15 with side recesses 17 lea-ding therefrom and adapted for the reception of the outer ends of the brackets 14, and extending from the ends of the cavities to the outer end of the block are two T- shaped passages 18 for the contact lingers ot the separable cap. The portion 10 is rigidly fastened to the brackets 14 by means oi' longitudinal screws 19.

During the insertion of the adapter in the receptacle, the trap doors 7 will be partially closed with their outer ends positioned inside the inner end of the cylindrical block. 1() and upon forcing the adapter home they will automatically close about the neck 13 as indicated in Fig-2 and operate as a support for thefadapter against transver'sefmovenint as well as affording a neat and finished appearance to the assembly.

Vhilef I"have"sho`yvn"aiil described their 1 H t y ltricallyconnecteditbsaid contact plates on best embodiment of theivention", `I"d"'not' desire to be restricted thereto.- Y,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent off theflUnited-States, isz

1. An attachment plug adapter comprising an inner base' 'portion of 4rectangular-shape and `acontractec'l neck atffone end thereof, an

`outer :base portionf having recesses and lpassageways therein, brackets-inounte'd uponltlie oute11endof said neck, contact clips carried by said fbrac'kets,"y Contact plates f'mounted on opposite edges otisai'd innerfbase portion and connectedto said v braclnets,y and'means connectingbsaid outer baseA portion `there- With.vf'fI 'f 1 v 'I "Qu'An attachment plug adapter for Wall receptz'icles,`y comprising an insulating base having enlarged inner and outer', portions i'igidlycnnectd throtigltacntiiacted central portion, contact plates mounted upon said inner base. portionaandcontactfclips disposed ii saidouterl ase'portoniahd electhehinn-erL-base portion.

3. An attachmentplug adapter for Wall receptaclesa comprisrng an insulating base having two enlarged end portions rigidly connected togetlierznnd onoflwhich has a reducedneck adjacent'tbeother base por- Itionfsaid inner base "portion being rectanguiar* and' provided.Withfcontact plates on Ithe:.zlpposite edgestheref' and the Iouter base-portionzbeing 4cylindrical and having Contact clipsmounted therein and respectively electrically" connected .to said Contact yplates.4 on fthe 'inner' base'portion.`

In vWitness whereof, I- have hereunto. set my hand thi's23rd` day" ofvr February, 1923. 1 HOWARD R.v SARGrfENT.4 

